Combined clamp and lifter for fruit packing tubs



June 16, 1931. s. H. SHELLER COMBINED CLAMP AND LIFTER FOR FRUIT PACKING TUBS Filed Sept. 16. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "HHIIM June 16, 1931. s. H. SHELLER I ,8

COMBINED CLAMP AND LIFTER FOR FRUIT PACKING TUBS Filed Sept. 16. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AN 0/ FL E [25% m Patented June '16; 1931 1 UNITED STATES? PATENT or-F i SAMUEL H'.,.SHELLER, OF MARION, PENNSYLVANIA COMBINED CLAMP AND LIFTER FOR FRuIrrAoKINe runs- Application'filed September 16, 1929. Serial No. 392,886.

" Prior to my inventiondescribed in another application executed of even date herewith, the method commonly employed for packing peaches, apples or other fruit in baskets, has.

5 been to use a facing former-to support the "paper liner for the basket, the latter having first been inserted in ametal tub or shell and placed in an inverted position on the said facing formen. After filling the liner, the

metal tub or shell has been removed,follow- The facing former has next been removed and the usual cap or cover for the basket has been fastened tothe basket;

The improved method setforth in my aforesaid application greatly simplifies and shortensthe packing operation by employing the fruit basket cover itself as the facing;

former after equipping said cover or top with V 5 a novel internal cap which also co-operates with the paper liner in an improved manner to protect the fruit from being bruised.

,According to. my improved method, set

I forth in the aforesaid application, the utilization of the basket cover orcap as the facing former,enables"the fruit basket, when tele- I scoped over the filled liner, to be directly connected to the cover or top so that when the basket is reversed or set right side up, it com stitutes'a packed,completely finished, basket. 7

\ The present invention has for itsobject the F provisionofa tubfor shell, such as'has herev p p in the tub or shell 1. I

" r The practice heretofore has tofo'rebeen used, having improved means for fengagingthebasket top or cover employed in 40 practicing my improved method'set forth-in liner 4. s 1

In accordance with the improvements set;

the aforesaid application, whereby the filled Paper'1iner,'basket cover or cap,.rand tub, 'may be transported asaunitto atsuitable point and the tub then disconnected from the cover or top so that it may be used at once in "connection with another liner and'basket cover or; top and enabling the person who telescopes the fruitqbasket over the previousa 1y filled liner to attach that basket to the top 80 'w'hieh has been used as a facing former,

The improved means on the tub for engaging the cover or topof the fruit basket, is 7 preferably in the form of combined elevatmg handles and clamps provided at one end i with means to engage the projecting ends of the fastening slat of the cover or top and at the other end, with handles which are arranged to be readily grasped by the operator. The handles are preferablyspring-actuated to prevent. them from accidentally disengage ing from theends of the fastening slat of the cover.; 7

Oneembodiment of the invention ishere- ,inafter described and shown in the accomw panying'drawings but it will be understood,

however,that unless specified in the claims, the inventionis not limited to the particular clamp and handle shown and described. In the accompanyingdrawings:

Figure, 1 is aside elevation of a tub provided with the present improvements, in

position on a basket cover ortop-used as a facing former and locked thereto Fig. 2is a similar view, taken at right angles to-Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sideelevation illustrating both the manner of applying the tub to the liner and top or cover and detachingit therefrom, The metal tub or shell leis open at its top conical form employed in the fruit basket,

and bottom, being of vthe usual truncated industry.

or shell My improvements I reside in the guides 2' and thecombined handles and clamps which will presently be explained;

The paper liner 4 may be of'any preferred a construction, said liner being first inserted special facing former on" which rests the been to use a with the ordinary facing former and use as a facing former, the ordinary slatted cover or top 5 forthe wooden fruit basket top having one of its slats provided with projecting sea ends 6, inaccordance with approved pie-c tice.

l have illustrated herein an-improved cap 7-contained within the cover or top 5, full disclosure of which is made in my aforesaid application. The cap 7 is provided with a peripheral flange 7 extending all the way around and interposed between the fruit 8 and the rim of the cover 5 as also projecting into the liner 4 so that the fruit can neither press against the cover 5 nor the fruit basket (not shown).

The guides 2 are in the form of metal straps having springy bent ends 2' arranged to engage the rim of the cap 5 and to center the tub 1 thereon so'that it will not become laterally displaced. Certain of these straps may extend substantially the height of the tub or shell 1 .for the attachment of the brackets 9 which mount the combined han- (U85 and clamps 3. The straps may be attached to the tub by rivets.

The combined handles and clamps 3 are of relatively rigid strap metal stock having clamping loops 10 which are adaptedto receive the ends 6. The other ends of the clamps have handles 11 of open construction. The clamps are pivoted to the brackets 9 in any suitable manner, as by bolts 12. By preference, suitable spring means are cm lo ed to so actuate the combined handles an camps that their lower parts will be pressed inwardly toward the tub or shell 1 and thus will be prevented from accidentally becoming disengaged from the projecting ends 6. The springs also normally position the handles 11 outwardly from the tub as shown in Fig. 1, so that they can be convenientl grasped by the hands of the operator. As s own, the springs appear at 13, being wrapped around the bolt 12 and having their ends engaged with the brackets 9 and the handles and clamps 3. I I 7 Assuming that the liner 4 has been placed upon the basket cover ortop 5, or, said liner has first been inserted in the tub 1, after the facing layer of fruit has been placed on said cover, the handles 11 are grasped as shown in Fig. 3, to insert the clamps 10 and the said clamps 10 are then engaged with the ends 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The liner 4 may then be filled with fruitin the usual o manner.

When the liner 4 is completely filled, the i operator grasps the handles 11 with an elevating action, without pressing them toward 1 and connect it to the cover 5. Having thus transported the filled liner and cover, the operator presses the handles 11 toward the tub, thereby disengaging the clamps 10 from the ends 6 so that the tub can be used on another basket cover and in connection wit another liner.

, What I claim is:

1. The combination with a tub or shell for use in packing fruit, and a fruit support, of combined clamps and lifters carried by the tub which clamp the fruit support to the tub while serving as sustaining and carrying devices by which the fruit and fruit support may be carried from place to place.

2. The combination with a tub or shell for use in packing fruit, and a fruit support, of combined clamps and lifters carried by the tub which clamp the fruit support to the tub while serving as sustaining and carrying devices by which the fruit and fruit support may be carried from lace to place, comprising rockably mounted devices provided with fruit-support engaging means at their lower ends and with operating handles at their upper ends.

3. The combination with a tub or shell for use in packing fruit, of combined clamps and lifters carried thereby adapted to engage the support for the fruit and to clamp it to the tu comprising rockably mounted devices provided with fruit-support engaging means at their lower ends and with operating handles at their upper ends, and sprin means cooperating with said combined 0 amps and lifters and serving to hold the clamps in engagement with the fruit support when the tub is being suspended and carried by the combined clamps and lifters.

4. The combination with a fruit basket cover or top adapted to be used as a facing former or support for the fruit, of a tub or shell, and combined lifters and clamps carried by said tub and adapted to engage the engaged with the cover, as suspending and,

carrying lifters by which the tub, fruit, and

cover-or top may bev transported with the cover clamped to the tub.

5. The combination with a fruit basket cover or top having projecting parts tub or shell, combined lifters and clamps movably mounted on said tub or shell and provided with loops adapted to receivethe projecting parts on the cover or top when the latter is used as a facing former or support for fruit, thereby to lock the tub to said cover or top, and also having means by which they may be manually operated.

6. The combination with a fruit basket cover or top having projecting parts, of a tub or. shell, com bined liftersand clamps movably mounted on said tub or shell and provided with loops adapted to receive the rojecting parts on the cover ortop when the atter is used as alfacing former or supportv for fruit, thereby to lock the tub to said cover or top, and also having means by which they may e manually operated, and s ring means co-operating with said combine lifters and clampswhich tend to hold the loops in en-,

gagement vwith the projecting parts of the cover or top.

7. The combination with a tub or shell adapted for use in a fruit packing basket operation, of fixed guides secured thereto having ends which freely project beyond the end of said tub or shell and are adapted to prevent lateral displacement of the facing former which is intended to be surmounted by said tub or shell during the packing operation. I r

8. The combination with a fruit basket cover or top adapted for use as a facing former in a fruit basket packing operation, of

.a tub or shell having guides secured thereto provided with ends of springy construction which freely project beyond the end of said tub or shell and extend crosswise of the edge of the facing former to serve as retainers, preventing lateral displacement of said facing former to maintain the tub in superposed relation to the cover or top.

9. The combination with a fruit basket cover-or top adapted for use as a facing former in a fruit basket packing operation, of a tub or shell having guides adapted to extend crosswise of the edge of the said cover or top to maintain the tub-in superposed relation to the cover or top and prevent relative lateral displacement of the tub and facing formenand combined lifters and clamps carried by the said tub which are adapted to releasably engage the cover or top to lock the tub thereto.

In testimony-whereof I aflix my signature.

SAMUEL H. SHELLER. 

